The battle for the 2018 FIA World Rally Championship went right down to the wire in the final round in Australia as three drivers faced the ultimate title shootout. After some terrific driving in the previous two rounds, team M-Sport Ford’s Sebastien Ogier had been able to erase his 23-point deficit to lead long-time leader Thierry Neuville, of team Hyundai, by three points. Ott Tänak of Toyota Gazoo Racing was twenty-three points off the lead.

The Coffs Harbour-based rally saw the competitors cover a total stage distance of 318.64km before the finish. The proceedings began in favour of Sebastien Ogier, as heavy rain transformed the gravel forest roads into a muddy mess. This was an advantage for him as Neuville and Tanäk would’ve been much faster on a dry stage. While Ogier had a faultless run, Neuville and Tanäk both escaped brushes with the scenery during the morning’s opening three speed runs.

As the rally progressed, things only became worse for both Neuville and Tanäk. Three stages prior to the finish, Neuville swiped a bank and ripped the rear wheel off his Hyundai i20. One stage ahead, Ott Tanäk suffered a broken gearbox and his Toyota Yaris came to a halt with no drive. Tanäk’s exit allowed team-mate Jari-Matti Latvala to take the lead, whereas team Hyundai was now being led by Hayden Paddon.

Avoiding Sunday’s carnage, Jari-Matti Latvala won the rally for Toyota Gazoo Racing in his Yaris with a lead of 32.5 seconds, and his win also secured the manufacturers’ title for Toyota. This was Toyota’s first WRC win after 1999 and Latvala’s first victory since February 2017. Hayden Paddon also survived the carnage, clinching second-place in his i20, with first-leg leader Mads Østberg filling the podium in his Citroën C3.

However, the spotlight fell on Ogier and Ingrassia, as the duo drove through the final Power Stage with the knowledge that their fifth-place finish was more than enough to secure the championship title. The fact that this was Ogier’s final appearance in M-Sport Ford’s Fiesta before switching to Citroën in 2019 made the victory all the more special for both Ogier and team M-Sport Ford.

Author Description

Divyank Kushagra Bansal - His initiation to the automotive world began at an early age, ever since he got hold of the 1994 edition of the Daily Express World Car Guide. Completely mesmerised by the spectacle of an automobile, there was no going back for him. This ardour went to the next level when he got his hands on his first car, a used Skoda Laura, which also ensured his thorough training as a VW mechanic (for reasons understood by all Skoda owners alike).
Over the years, he has honed his skills as a capable driver and has spent plenty of time riding his brother's Kawasaki Ninja 250 whilst gaining plenty of knowledge about his favourite field. After catching his big break at Jaguar Land Rover, he decided that the world of sales was not enough to satiate his hunger. As a result, he found his sojourn at autoX with other, like-minded petrolheads with an aim of instilling the same passion into fellow enthusiasts.